A reversible spray tip unit or assembly with which the present invention is concerned is used in hydraulic or airless paint spraying and generally includes a rotatable cylindrically shaped turret member arranged in a housing transverse to the flow of high pressure paint. The turret member is provided with a diametric fluid bore at one end of which is mounted the spray tip or nozzle. The spray tip unit housing is engaged by a securing nut which secures the spray tip unit to the discharge end of the spray gun. The spray tip unit housing permits the turret member to be axially rotated therein so as to present the spray tip or nozzle forwardly for spray painting and rearwardly facing the discharge end of the spray gun whereby clogs or obstructions in the spray tip can be removed by the reversed flow of paint therethrough. The turret member is provided with a generally T-shaped handle at one end thereof so that it may be easily rotated as required. The turret member is easily removed from the spray tip unit by slackening the securing nut and pulling the turret member by its T-shaped handle from the spray tip unit housing. The spray tip unit housing is provided with a molded plastic tip guard having Y or V-shaped forward extending ears which guard against accidental injection by the fluid stream exiting the nozzle.
During the course of normal painting operations by a painting contractor, it is frequently necessary to change spray tips because of nozzle wear or because a different size spray tip is required. This is easily accomplished by slackening the securing nut of the spray tip unit housing to thereby release the pressure on the turret member which can then be withdrawn from the housing and replaced with another. Thus, the operator must have available an assortment of turret members having different sized spray tips so that he can sort through these turret members to find the desired replacement which he can then insert into the spray tip unit housing, tighten the securing nut, and recommence the painting operation. Obviously, it is important that this assortment of turret members be conveniently available or readily at hand so that the painting operator can choose the appropriate replacement and make the exchange with as little downtime as possible.
Usually, each turret member has inscribed on its T-shaped handle or elsewhere, a designation indicating the nozzle size. Obviously, because of spatial constraints, the dimensions of the inscribed designations are relatively small and require close scrutiny in order to ascertain the size of the nozzle. Thus, when the painting operator replaces a turret member, it is necessary that he closely examine the turret member he is currently using to ascertain the size needed and then examine the assortment of turret members at his disposal in order to choose the correct size. However, during the painting operation the tip handle of the tip being used has a tendency to become coated with paint because of paint spray in the air resulting in size identification being difficult or impossible. Another difficulty has to do with the operator spraying in difficult to reach places and utilizing a ladder or scaffold. In such a situation, the painting operator is not likely to carry with him or have ready access to an assortment of turret members while on the ladder or scaffold and so the operator is faced with the inconvenience and sometimes the danger of climbing down from the ladder or scaffold in order to locate an appropriate replacement turret member.